Kickstart Your School Year: Teaming with Gen Ed Teachers

🌟 Ready to kick off the school year with a bang? Let's chat about how we can build an awesome support system that'll make this year your best one yet! We all know that teaching gifted students in small districts can sometimes feel like you're on a solo adventure. But guess what? You're not alone, and I'm here to share some fun, practical ways to connect with your colleagues and create a community that'll have you feeling supported, inspired, and ready to conquer the world (or at least your gifted program)!

Host a Chill Meet-and-Greet

First things first, let's break the ice with a casual get-together! Here's how to make it happen:

Pick a time and place that works for everyone. After-school "gifted open house" with snacks, pre-school coffee, or even a lunch break pow-wow can be perfect!
Send out some fun, personalized invites. Get creative and show off your personality!
Prepare a quick intro about gifted education and your role. Emphasize how gifted strategies not only helps our gifted students, but benefits the gen ed teacher & her practices. Keep it light and engaging!
Share some awesome success stories that'll get everyone excited about gifted education.

Pro tip: Keep things relaxed and friendly. This is your chance to build some great relationships and find common ground with your colleagues. Display resources you're willing to share with gen ed teachers in their classroom as they differentiate for your gifted students. Display testing data to show how gifted students CAN grow and how they help teacher LOE.

Team Up for Some Cool Interdisciplinary Projects

Next up, offer help or "early finisher" collaborative projects that'll knock everyone's socks off! Here's the game plan:

Look for areas where gifted education and general education overlap. It's like a Venn diagram of awesomeness!
Set up a brainstorming session with your interested colleagues. Bring snacks – they always help the ideas flow!
Come up with project ideas that'll benefit both gifted and general ed students. Two birds, one stone!
Clearly outline who's doing what. Teamwork makes the dream work, after all!
Showcase how the project can either be part of the teacher's lessons plans OR used as an early-finisher project for students needing enrichment.

Pro tip: Start small and build up to bigger projects. It's all about creating those little wins that'll have everyone pumped for more collaboration!

Create a Treasure Trove of Shared Resources

Who doesn't love a good library? Create a digital resource library that'll make everyone's life easier! For a Resource Hub, click HERE. Here's how to get started:

Use tools like Google Drive or Dropbox to set up your shared space. It's like a virtual teacher's lounge,!
Invite your colleagues to contribute their favorite resources and lesson plans. Sharing is caring!
Keep the library fresh with regular updates. New materials are like presents for teachers!
Schedule some fun review meetings to discuss and share new ideas. It's like a book club, but for teaching resources! (Start off quarterly - we can do 4 times a year, right? And think of how it will build your program)

Pro tip: Highlight how much time this shared library can save everyone. Who doesn't want more time for Netflix, right?

Organize Some Rockin' Professional Development Workshops

Ok, hear me out. Even if you do not love to lead workshops, consider this step after you've mastered the quarterly, more casual resource gatherings above. Once you're comfortable, you can ask to be on the PD or In-Service line up. It will keep your program, and you as a resource, in front of your gen ed colleagues. Also, it reminds the teachers of how important differentiation is for gifted students and ALL students ready for enrichment. Let's face it, we all attend plenty of PDs for how to help those who struggle academically. You may be the only Gifted/Advanced PD your school will every have. I think you'll be amazed at how many gen ed teachers will find your material the most helpful and "fresh" information presented. So, let's turn professional development from a snooze-fest into something everyone looks forward to! Here's the plan:

Figure out what kind of PD your colleagues are craving. Survey says...?
Team up with your administrators to make these workshops happen. They'll love your initiative!
Bring in some awesome guest speakers or experienced educators to lead the sessions. The more, the merrier!
Include hands-on activities and resources that teachers can use right away. Practical is the name of the game!
Start small. Share simple frameworks like Depth & Complexity or EduProtocols (I know they aren't gifted-specific, but they really do work well with our students).

Build a Supportive Communication Network

Last but not least, let's create a communication network that'll keep the good vibes flowing all year long! Here's how to make it happen:

Set up a group chat or email list for quick idea sharing. It's like social media, but for teacher awesomeness!
Schedule regular check-ins or coffee chats to talk about wins and challenges. Coffee and conversation – the perfect combo!
Use social media or forums to expand your network beyond your school. The more, the merrier!
Keep the communication positive and focused on problem-solving. Good vibes only!
Send out a monthly newsletter. Remember, you'll only need 10 a school year, one for each month. Create a template & keep it simple with actionable, practical strategies & resources.

If you implement only one of these steps this year, your advocacy reach will increase. Add more steps as you go along to build a strong team of Gifted Ed Allies among your Gen Ed Colleagues.

While some of these steps do add more to your plate, you'll find that the benefits of having a strong team is well worth the effort. Take that first step, reach out to a colleague, and start building your support network today. Trust me, your future self will thank you!

Got some great ideas of your own? Share them in the comments below! And if you haven't already subscribed to receive updates each week, sign up below. You'll receive weekly blog updates and a monthly newsletter with gifted resources, strategies, and templates. 🚀📚✨

Teacher Resource Hub Template: This one was created with tech tools in mind, but can be edited to include whatever gifted ed templates & links you choose to share with your gen ed colleagues

🔷 P.S. Did you know I offer 1:1 coaching? If you're looking for personalized support to reach your goals or overcome challenges in your gifted ed classroom, let's chat! Email to schedule a free 30-minute consultation or click below to schedule.